Albany man arrested in Guilderland for attempted sexual abuse
GUILDERLAND – On Tuesday, Dec. 20, State Police Investigators arrested Louis J. Maniscalco, 39, of Albany, for two counts of attempted criminal sexual act in the first degree and two counts of attempted sexual abuse in the first degree.
At about 8:30 a.m., Troopers were contacted by a concerned person reporting that they believed a man known to them as Maniscalco had had inappropriate contact with a child under the age of eleven. The subsequent investigation determined Maniscalco attempted multiple times to solicit a child under the age of eleven for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
Maniscalco was arrested at State Police barracks in Latham and processed. He was arraigned at the Guilderland Town Court and remanded to the Albany County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 bond.
This investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information or believes they may have also been a victim is asked to contact Investigators at 518-583-7000 or email [email protected].
Third time BPD arrests man for 2021 crime
TROY – On Monday, Dec. 12, Bethlehem police arrested a Troy man at the Rensselaer County Jail for the third time because he failed to show up for court to face charges relating to a 2021 stolen truck and drug charges.
In October 2021, Charles Bliven, 28, was driving a U-haul truck on Corning Hill Road that was reported stolen from Rotterdam. Officers performed a traffic stop at the Cumberland Farms and arrested Bliven and two women. They had crack pipes and a number of various identifications including two different NY Driver’s licenses and a USA passport. The trio also had an assortment of credit cards and gift cards.
At that time police charged Bliven with unauthorized use of a vehicle and criminal possession of a controlled substance, both misdemeanors. Because the U-haul was rented, but not returned it is considered unauthorized use, rather than grand theft auto, according to police at the time.
He was given an appearance ticket in 2021, but did not return to court and the court issued a warrant.
In July, Bliven was arrested in Cohoes on the warrant and returned to Bethlehem. He was arraigned by Bethlehem Town Judge Andrew Kirby and released on his own recognizance to return on August 15. He also had an active warrant at that time from the State Police. The State Police told Bethlehem officers to advise Bliven to turn himself in.
On December 12, Bethlehem detectives traveled to Troy to arrest Bliven on a second bench warrant for missing the August date. He was transported back to Bethlehem, processed, arraigned by Kirby again and released. He was scheduled back in court on Tuesday, Dec. 20.
Felony aggravated DWI on Delaware Avenue
DELMAR – Bethlehem police observed a 2019 Honda Civic traveling westbound on Delaware Avenue at a high rate of speed on Sunday, Dec. 11 at approximately 3:33 a.m.
The honda turned right onto Kenwood Avenue and the officer observed the vehicle crossing into the opposite lane multiple times and performed a traffic stop.
Upon interviewing the driver, Jason Westervelt, 33, of Schenectady, officers observed a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath. He was given an failed field sobriety tests and tested positive for breath alcohol on a pre-screening device.
At the police station, he provided a breath sample that returned a .18 percent BAC. Westervelt has a prior DWI conviction from 2015 and was charged with felony aggravated DWI. He also was ticketed for not having an inspection sticker and driving to the left of pavement markings.
Westervelt was issued tickets and released. He is scheduled back in court on Tuesday, Dec. 20.
Pair arrested trying to catch a bus
GLENMONT – On Wednesday, Dec. 14 at approximately 9:30 p.m. a Bethlehem police officer was filling out paperwork in front of Walmart when the store’s Asset Protection Employee flagged down the officer. Two women suspected of leaving the store with merchandise they didn’t pay for were trying to enter a CDTA bus.
The officer detained the women and upon a check found that in addition to the larceny, both of the women had outstanding warrants on them.
The pair also had 37 used hypodermic needles on them and one, Aaliyah Stout, 25, of Albany, had 3 broken crack pipes, 1 paroxetine hydrochloride pill and a Suboxone sublingual strip on her. She and Jennifer Hoffman, 38, were taken into custody, processed and charged with conspiracy and petit larceny, both misdemeanors. They were given appearance tickets for Bethlehem Town Court on January 3. Hoffman was also processed on her warrant and transported to Saratoga County to face charges there. Stout has a warrant from Schenectady police, who requested Bethlehem officers advise her to turn herself in.
Grand larceny at Marshalls
GLENMONT – Bethlehem police responded to Marshalls at Route 9W for a reported larceny on Thursday, Dec. 15. Upon arrival the officer spoke to the loss prevention employee who explained a man walked out of the store with $1,012.47 worth of merchandise without paying and when confronted outside, dropped the merchandise and left.
Christopher Freeman, 39, of Albany, was located in the Sunoco parking lot and taken into custody. He was charged with grand larceny, arraigned by Town Judge Ryan Donovan who sent him to the Albany County Jail with a return date of January 3.
DWI on Delaware Avenue
DELMAR – On Sunday, Dec. 17 at 11:31 p.m., Bethlehem police observed a 2018 Volkswagen on Delaware Avenue without an inspection sticker and having an improper muffler.
The officer performed a traffic stop and found the driver, a 21-year-old Westerlo man, to have a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath. He stated he was driving home from a friend’s house and stated he had six Bud Light beers.
He failed some field sobriety tests and tested positive for breath alcohol on a pre-screening device and was taken into custody for DWI. At the police station, the man provided a breath sample that returned a .08 percent BAC.
He was given a bill of particulars, issued traffic tickets and released. He is scheduled to return to Bethlehem Town Court on January 3.